A+E Interactive » XCOM: Enemy Unknownhttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei
Bay Area Arts and Entertainment BlogMon, 30 Mar 2015 12:40:46 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1XCOM: Enemy Within brings a new foe into play — humanshttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2013/10/09/xcom-enemy-within-preview/
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2013/10/09/xcom-enemy-within-preview/#commentsWed, 09 Oct 2013 16:00:35 +0000Gieson Cachohttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/?p=26032
There are several ways to make expansion packs. Some extend an existing story. (See Borderlands) Others add challenges or maps to sharpen players skills (Check out Battlefield 3) while the ambitious ones offer stand-alone stories (Grand Theft Auto IVanyone?). And… Continue Reading →]]>
There are several ways to make expansion packs. Some extend an existing story. (See Borderlands) Others add challenges or maps to sharpen players skills (Check out Battlefield 3) while the ambitious ones offer stand-alone stories (Grand Theft Auto IVanyone?). And then there is Firaxis Games, which has mastered the process in its own way. The developer behind the Civilization series uses expansion packs as way to fix fundamental flaws that crop up in its game.
Through the two expansions to Civilization V, the developer has created a more polished and balanced game that keeps players' interest no matter their play style. With its upcoming project, XCOM: Enemy Within, Firaxis performs a similar feat for last year's turn-based strategy game. The latest addition features new abilities for soldiers -- Gene Mods and cybernetic MECs. There are new weapons such as a poison grenade and a cloaking explosive. And there are new aliens -- a seeker and mechtoid.
But it's the other improvements that round out an already stellar release. I had a chance to get some hands-on time with the game, and it's more addictive than ever.
There are two new mission types that involve cover operatives.LIKE BARBARIANS IN CIV: In the old XCOM, players went up against aliens in the single-player mode, but with Enemy Within, the human race has another foe -- itself. XCOM will be battling Exalt, a fanatical organization that believes the alien invasion's goal is to make humans the perfect genetic species. They view any resistance as an obstacle to that, and they'll try to sabotage players' operations around the world.
2K Games said fans should think of Exalt as barbarians in a campaign of Civilization. They come up after bases get more established and they hinder players' efforts by stirring panic in countries, where they operate. To defeat with Exalt, players will have to send covert operatives who infiltrate the organization. They'll go through two mission types: Covert data recovery and covert extraction. After a few anti-Exalt undertakings, players will eventually find the enemy base and destroy it.
Each mission type uses a squad member who goes undercover. In covert data recovery, the squaddie and some backup will have to defend comm relays from Exalt hackers in a King-of-the-Hill-type mission. Meanwhile, covert extraction has the covert operative downloading data from Exalt and escaping with help from squadmates. The process adds another layer of strategy to an already deep game. Because covert ops can only carry a pistol and usually work alone, the jobs can be difficult. Players will have to pick the class of the covert op carefully. Snipers have a pistol damage boost in its skill tree while assaults have run and gun. In addition, gene mods -- like the automatically healing of adaptive bone marrow -- could have a factor in the decision. To help in the operation, covert ops also have a special ability that can create havoc among Exalt by wrecking their communications.
Choosing the right type of squad is important during these Exalt missions.A DIFFERENT TYPE OF ENEMY: The mission I played had a cover operative go into a base to steal data and the team had to extract him after he picked up the data. Players choose the squad and the covert op acts almost as a wild card that can finish the mission and escape or can choose to help his comrades trying to save him. It's an interesting dynamic and brings up new tactics as players deal with a foe that has the same weapons and abilities that they do.
In addition to the two new mission types and features, the game will have 47 new maps. That's an increase of about 50 percent.
As for availability, the 2K Games official said that XCOM: Enemy Within will be available as a download on PC. Unfortunately for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, players will need to buy the Commander Edition of the game to access the new content. It will sell for $39.99 when it comes out in November.
Images courtesy of 2K GamesWant to know what Gieson Cacho is playing? Follow him on Twitter. ]]>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2013/10/09/xcom-enemy-within-preview/feed/2XCOM_EW_EXALT_CovertOps_Screen12KVID_XCOMEW_Screenshot_DataRecovery_CovertCoverXCOM_EW_EXALT_CovertOps_Screen2By: TwitterButtons.comWhy The Bureau: XCOM Declassified could be the best title of Augusthttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2013/08/08/why-the-bureau-xcom-declassified-could-be-the-best-title-of-august/
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2013/08/08/why-the-bureau-xcom-declassified-could-be-the-best-title-of-august/#commentsThu, 08 Aug 2013 22:10:07 +0000Gieson Cachohttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/?p=25850
The week of August 18 will be one of the busiest of the year. In that span, Disney Infinity is launching and will likely sell like hotcakes to the younger set. Ubisoft’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist will probably be the must-have… Continue Reading →]]>
The week of August 18 will be one of the busiest of the year. In that span, Disney Infinity is launching and will likely sell like hotcakes to the younger set. Ubisoft's Splinter Cell: Blacklist will probably be the must-have stealth title of the year. Meanwhile the bombastic Saints Row 4 will draw on their growing fan base.
But the most intriguing game coming out that week has to be The Bureau: XCOM Declassified. It's the most original of the bunch. It's a project that I've followed since it was announced at E3 2010. Since then, The Bureau has gone through several drastic changes and the game I recently played is far different from the one I first saw. The most noticeable change is the perspective: It's gone from the first person to the third person, a move that feels right.
When I saw it three years ago, XCOM, as it was known back then, seemed more of a game that was adapted to use the Bioshock engine. It seemed like a natural dovetail for the developer, 2K Marin, which cut its teeth on the genetically modified shooter and later created the sequel. The combination of the characters, midcentury setting and user interface resembled the team's past work. But now with the wholesale changes, the game has its own identity.
Sectoids still remain part of the XCOM experience in The Bureau except this time they're enslaved by another alien race.DEVELOPING INNOVATION: It took months and plenty of iterations before 2K Marin discovered the correct fit, and nowhere was that evolution more apparent than in the development of the user interface. Lead UI designer Pat Guarino showed the history of The Bureau's main gameplay feature -- Battle Focus. It's a twist to the squad-based combat that lets players slow down the battle to a crawl so they can direct two other party members. At the event where I played through first part of the game, I had a chance to talk to Guarino and other members of the development team.
Players may not notice it with the final product, but there was plenty of work simplifying, tweaking and changing up Battle Focus so that it just feels right. It's what allows the third-person shooter to be its own game but still feel like part of the XCOM franchise. Guarino said the problem the team faced was that there was no way to smartly control agents and incorporate it into visceral experience. Earlier iterations had simple commands and buffs, but nowhere near the depth that's required to make players feel like they're commanding a squad.
But the turning point of The Bureau was E3 2011, according to creative director Morgan Gray. During that version of the game, they partially shifted to a third-person perspective when players gave out commands. At the time, it was still mostly a first-person game, but the move to give players more of an outside viewpoint worked so well. "It gave you a better idea of placement," Guarino said. He also mentioned that the slowed time was also intentional. If 2K Marin just paused the game, players would have no sense of motion and they couldn't see the direction in which enemies were running. It also boosted the tension, making players feel the urgency of sending out commands.
Sometimes it's best to stick together during a fight so that teammates can help you out if you go down.HOW BATTLE FOCUS WORKS: In some of the more radical mock-ups, Guarino showed how the team took that third-person perspective to the extreme and turned Battle Focus into a top-down viewpoint to simplify planning. It almost looked like a visually impressive XCOM: Enemy Unknown in that version. But 2K Marin settled on a tighter camera behind the characters. At that angle, players can still feel like they're in the gunbattle, but more importantly, switching characters is still easy and accessing abilities using a radial menu that fans out is simple. Players can even queue up actions in combat. The result is innovative, refreshing and polished. It manages to blend action and strategy in a way that feels natural to the series.
For example, early in the game, players are faced with a scenario where a teammate can set up an autoturret and another can fire at an enemy. That frees up the player to go down a side room and flank enemies. Players can see parts of the plan, but it's all in the execution, and when it works, the results are satisfying. But what will separate experts from novices in The Bureau is how players react when their plans goes awry. They'll have to be able to think on their feet and use Battle Focus to adjust to the unexpected.
That's a theme mentioned early on in The Bureau when XCOM commander Myron Faulke delivers the agency's mission statement: "Survive, adapt, win." And that brings me to the other compelling driving force of The Bureau: XCOM Declassified. The title is a character-driven origin story for what's to become XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Players take on the role of William James Carter, a government agent with a spotty past who is recruited to XCOM by Faulke. He's about to be initiated into the program when the aliens launch a surprise attack on the United States, and he gets thrown into the fire as the devastated country tries to get a handle on the situation and formulate a response strategy.
Sleepwalkers are people that the aliens have infected. They use them to infiltrate the highest levels of government.FASCINATING ORIGIN STORY: It's an attractive concept as players feel as though they're on the ground floor of something big. There's a new-car freshness to everything in the XCOM base as players explore the hub world and interact with members of the team. Carter will get to know colleagues such as Nico DaSilva and Angela Weaver (a character I've seen three different versions of). He'll find side missions or clues to other survivors of the attack. But more importantly, the game lets players share in the establishment of the agency.
What's even more compelling about the world 2K Marin creates is that it's set in 1960s America and the team tried to hold true to the period as players see workers smoke in the office, field agents dress in era-specific garb and allies tote high-tech gadgets that look clunky but appropriate for the time. With that mind-set, the team also limited the gender of field agents; players can only bring men to the battlefield though there are NPC specific exceptions. Players can still customize the names, faces, etc., but just don't expect to make a character named Dana Scully and expect her to fight aliens. Also, players have to keep in mind that if an agent dies in battle, they effectively lose them for the campaign.
This scenario presents problems though because if players concentrate leveling up a small circle of allies they can hurt themselves later in the campaign if those field agents perish. To mitigate that issue, players can delegate and send recruits on separate missions that earn them experience points. This is just another layer of strategy to make The Bureau feel more like an XCOM game.
Players should heal allies before they bleed out.
From what I've played, 2K Marin is well on its way to making a game that lives up to the franchise's pedigree. It has that twitchy quality of a third-person shooter complete with a cover system, but at the same time, players need intelligence in the gunfight. They need to parse the battlefield, figure out a battle plan, set it up with Battle Focus and execute it with Carter as the point man. It's harder than it sounds and the game's difficulty ramps up quickly as players land in Rosemont, Ga.
There's a lot of factors involved in a mission's success. It's not just the skill of a player or the tactics in an attack. The difference between success and failure may come down to bringing the right squad members with Carter. All of this offers an unbelievably amount of depth with a fascinating world and story to explore. The Bureau looks like it's going to be another way for fans to fall in love with the XCOM series all over again.
Look for it on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC on Aug. 20.
Images courtesy of 2K Games
Want to know what Gieson Cacho is playing? Follow him on Twitter. ]]>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2013/08/08/why-the-bureau-xcom-declassified-could-be-the-best-title-of-august/feed/02KG_TheBureauXD_CarterSquad2KG_TheBureauXD_Sectoids2KG_TheBureauXD_SignalFight2KG_TheBureauXD_DaSilva2KG_TheBureauXD_SquadReviveBy: TwitterButtons.comXCOM: Enemy Unknown puts a current console experience on iPadhttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2013/05/30/xcom-enemy-unknown-puts-a-current-console-experience-on-ipad/
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2013/05/30/xcom-enemy-unknown-puts-a-current-console-experience-on-ipad/#commentsThu, 30 May 2013 16:42:40 +0000Gieson Cachohttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/?p=25570
When XCOM: Enemy Unknown was announced for iOS, it may have marked a turning point in gaming. It doesn’t sound like much but getting a current-gen console experience on Apple’s devices is a huge step for the medium. The move… Continue Reading →]]>
When XCOM: Enemy Unknown was announced for iOS, it may have marked a turning point in gaming. It doesn't sound like much but getting a current-gen console experience on Apple's devices is a huge step for the medium. The move does two things: A) It validates the tablet as a gaming device that's comparable with living room boxes out there and B) It changes the perception of mobile games. They aren't as simple as Angry Birds or puzzle-oriented as Tetris Blitz.
And if this whole console-to-iOS port works out, it can have an enormous impact. To put that in perspective, there are more than 100 million iPads sold and 250 million iPhones sold since their respective launches in 2010 and 2007. That figure far exceeds the 77 million Xbox 360s sold since 2005. That's an enormous audience, and I'm willing to bet that more than a few users on the latest iPad and iPhone (Those are the ones that will likely be able to run XCOM) will want a deep, turn-based strategy game.
The only thing that Firaxis needs to do is make sure that the port works right with the touch controls. I had some hands-on with XCOM: Enemy Unknown on an iPad and came away confident that it could work.
All the leveling up is in there but the characters have lower textures.
For anyone who has used a touch-screen device over the past few years, the interface is intuitive. Players can pinch to zoom in and push out to zoom out. Twisting with two fingers will change the perspective. Unfortunately, there was no way to remove the virtual camera-control buttons to clean up the UI even more, but it's not a deal breaker.
During the demo, I had enough time for one mission, and it works just like the console versions. I scanned the globe looking for alien invaders, and after finding incidents, I had to choose one to deal with. On the ground, I could tap on any squad member and it brought up movement and other actions. Commanding a soldier is easy. Just double tap the destination square or hit the desired spot and hit the "move" command. The game automatically switches to another character or players can specifically pick a person by swiping over the name. The one thing I would have liked to see is an option to trace a path with a finger, but the available action methods work fine.
This minigame where players can shoot down an alien ship is still part of the experience.
When it comes to combat, it's about finding the aliens. (You can sometimes see the direction they're coming from with a visual cue.) Once spotted, players can tap on a little green man and choose from several options of attack. It's actually easier to scan the menu of actions and choose one in this iteration. XCOM on iPad even duplicates those frustrating moments when a trooper is right next to an alien and he fails to hit it.
The whole experience will take some adjustment even for veterans, but it's remarkable how Firaxis could bring the game to the tablet minus a few bells and whistles. What's missing? Well first off, players will notice that the textures aren't as detailed. Also, some maps had to be taken out for space reasons. Most of those removed arenas are from scenarios where players take on a downed UFO in the wilderness. Second, multiplayer won't be included in the game initially, but it will be added in a later update.
Combat is just as rewarding and frustrating.
When it comes to problems, the one thing I noticed is that dealing with the camera is still tough at times because it some of the angles are awkward. My other grip was that moving characters across different elevations was cumbersome, but I figure some practice with the interface would mitigate that.
Although some features have been removed or won't make it at launch, 2K Games did hint at some added value. First off, there is iCloud and GameCenter support for the game. I did see a Facebook button, but they weren't mentioning what it does. I imagination with the interconnectiveness of the device, XCOM may have some social media tools mixed in with the gameplay. I'm more interested in that.
But I suppose all those questions will be answered when XCOM: Enemy Unknown is released on iOS this summer.
Images courtesy of 2K Games
Want to know what Gieson Cacho is playing? Follow him on Twitter.
]]>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2013/05/30/xcom-enemy-unknown-puts-a-current-console-experience-on-ipad/feed/02KGPR_XCOMEU iOS_MAY PREVIEW_IMG_02542KGPR_XCOMEU iOS_MAY PREVIEW_IMG_02472KGPR_XCOMEU iOS_MAY PREVIEW_IMG_02722KGPR_XCOMEU iOS_MAY PREVIEW_IMG_0288By: TwitterButtons.comXCOM Slingshot DLC could bring players back to the Command Centerhttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2012/11/30/xcom-slingshot-dlc-could-bring-players-back-to-the-command-center/
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2012/11/30/xcom-slingshot-dlc-could-bring-players-back-to-the-command-center/#commentsFri, 30 Nov 2012 13:00:09 +0000Gieson Cachohttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/?p=25087
It’s interesting to see how downloadable content gets added to a game. Sometimes the entry point to the postlaunch missions are transparent. They’re shown locked away behind closed doors in the game world. Other times, they arrive in a subtle… Continue Reading →]]>
It's interesting to see how downloadable content gets added to a game. Sometimes the entry point to the postlaunch missions are transparent. They're shown locked away behind closed doors in the game world. Other times, they arrive in a subtle way via an odd email that leads to an investigation and a grand adventure.
With XCOM: Enemy Uknown and its Slingshot DLC, players will have to start from scratch. But that's not a bad thing when it comes to XCOM, a strategy game where every choice creates a different experience and a new avenue for that just-one-more-turn addiction. The DLC, which will run you $6.99 on PSN/PC and 560 Microsoft Points on Xbox Live, offers players three new story-driven missions focused on a new character named Shaojie Zhang.
Once you start over, the content pops up as council missions. Players can choose to do them at any time, but it's best to tackle them early because of the rewards involved. In the first mission, players are actually sent to rescue Zhang who is carrying some mysterious gear.
Meet Zhang, you'll have to rescue him, but once he joins the squad, he becomes a powerful ally.THREE DISTINCT MAPS: Immediately upon landing, players will notice that each of the new missions have maps specifically built for it. They'll notice the Chinese stone lions and the Chinese characters on the storefronts. In the rescue mission, Zhang, who is a member of the Triad, doesn't seem like much. He acts like any other civilian whom you have to get to safety. The missions are surprising and difficult. Slender men drop in behind and at the side of you. If you're too aggressive or don't have enough people on Overwatch, you can die.
The second mission also takes place in China and continues Zhang's storyline. I won't get into it to avoid spoilers, but the basic premise is that players have to touch five transponders within 10 turns. It's similar to the bomb missions in the previous council quests. But this second mission takes place in a train station. The setting creates an interesting scenario where a squad has to travel up empy rail cars while fighting Mutons and Slender Men while also activating the transponders. It's a lot to juggle.
The new maps have been made with this DLC in mind.A POWERFUL SQUAD MEMBER: But Zhang is a big help for your team. After the first mission, he'll join your squad as a heavy class lieutenant. Players will be able to customize him however they want though, choosing abilities in the skill tree. Also part of the DLC is the customizable heavy armor sets that can get fairly elaborate. But through it all, Zhang will feature his own distinct voice and personality though players don't necessarily have to use him.
The third mission wraps up the Zhang story arc. It happens aboard an alien battleship while it's traveling through the Chinese air space. It's one of the more impressive levels visually as you can see the city below while fighting enemies aboard the ship. The goal in this mission is to disable it and capture the technology. Like the other levels in the Slingshot pack, it's difficult, but the rewards are useful.
Flying through the air, you can see the land moving below you.
Finishing the DLC will give players access to the Fusion Lance and Fusion Core early in the game. They also get the Blast Launcher earlier. This will make your squad powerful than would be expected and it also helps their survivability. With the better gear, I'm sure it'll be easier going through the Ironman mode.
The Slingshot DLC is scheduled for release Dec. 4.
Want to know what Gieson Cacho is playing? Follow him on Twitter.
]]>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2012/11/30/xcom-slingshot-dlc-could-bring-players-back-to-the-command-center/feed/02KGMKT_XCOMEU_Screenshot_DLC_Slingshot_032KGMKT_XCOMEU_Screenshot_DLC_Slingshot_122KGMKT_XCOMEU_Screenshot_DLC_Slingshot_052KGMKT_XCOMEU_Screenshot_DLC_Slingshot_13By: TwitterButtons.comXCOM: Enemy Unknown adds multiplayer and it’s amazingly goodhttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2012/08/17/xcom-enemy-unknown-adds-multiplayer-and-its-amazingly-good/
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2012/08/17/xcom-enemy-unknown-adds-multiplayer-and-its-amazingly-good/#commentsFri, 17 Aug 2012 21:23:04 +0000Gieson Cachohttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/?p=24803
Talked about in hushed tones and bated breath, the original X-COM is one of those games that everyone raves about but few have actually played. It’s credited with inspiring several other video games, so I’ve probably played titles that owe… Continue Reading →]]>
Talked about in hushed tones and bated breath, the original X-COM is one of those games that everyone raves about but few have actually played. It’s credited with inspiring several other video games, so I’ve probably played titles that owe a debt to Mythos Games and MicroProse’s masterpiece.
It’s like enjoying Spec Ops: The Line and vaguely hearing of this book called Heart of Darkness. But recently, I got to see what the fuss was about (kind of). Firaxis and and 2K Games invited me over this week to check out XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Not to be confused with the shooter by 2K Marin, this is a turn-based strategy game that hews closest to the original.
A unit has two moves. One to move within a specific area and the second to attack.THE BASICS: The perspective is old school with the top-down, isometric view. In the single-player mode, you control an international team of high-tech soldiers, investigating alien invasions. Players can turn the camera to get a better view of the action, move team members by pointing to an area within their walking range. Once they do that, they can perform an action such as shooting enemies or laying down cover.
For those wanting to cover ground quickly, troops can move outside the walking range via a dash but that means they can’t pull off an extra move. It takes up both parts of the unit’s turn. Lastly, you can’t attack and then move. All turns have to end in an attack of some sort (unless you’re using dash).
Cover is vital in keeping your units alive.CONTROL MIXED SQUADS OF ALIENS AND HUMANS:Thems the rules and you’ll have to abide by them in multiplayer mode which is fun and surprisingly frantic. The best way to describe the gameplay: It’s a cross between speed chess and a table-top game with a bunch of aliens thrown in. The host picks the amount of points used per match and the time limit per turn.
To assemble a squad, you can pick a mix of human soldiers and aliens that include the Thin Man, Sectoid, Drone, Cyberdisc. The advantage of humans is that they’re infinitely customizable. Players can turn them into heavies with rocket launchers and armor or assault types with rifles and med kits. You can’t change the loadout of an alien but they do have special abilities.
The environments can change and cover and walls can be blown up. No place is really safe.DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENTS: Once that’s set, you’re ready to go and players have to outmaneuver each other on a map that’s fairly dynamic. I played in a bar, railyard and cemetery. They each offered their own set of obstacles. The cemetery had several tombstones for cover with a mausoleum in the center that everyone gravitated toward. The bar had parked cars in the front which can explode if a grenade is tossed in the area. There’s also the bar itself which has walls that can be obliterated. The railyard had crates that could explode and flatbeds that could act as raised platforms.
While waiting for an opponent to complete their turn, you can hear their units move. Sometimes hearing someone barge through a door or break through a window to enter a building will give away a position. So it pays to be attentive. On the other side, you can be careful and move a unit to a door so she can quietly open it and slip inside but that takes up a turn.
As I mentioned before, you sort of feel out the map and your opponent by cautiously moving through an environment. Once you have someone in your sights, you can hit the right trigger and it’ll bring up a menu of options, which include firing, providing cover, throwing a grenade, a special ability and a move called Overwatch, which will put the unit on auto so she attacks whatever enemy comes crawling by.
The sectoid has an ability called Mind Merge. It's also a pretty decent unit.IMPRESSIONS ON BATTLE: Against another human player, I found the grenades to be the most useful because they’re reliable. They always cause damage and it’s great when an opponent has units bunched up. I did run into some frustrating moments when you have a foe dead to rights. You have a clean shot, you’re in cover and you expect to kill them. But out of that 90 percent chance to score damage, you roll the 10 percent that gets you a miss. It makes you tear your hair out and scream in frustration. I can only imagine how this will translate in actual online play with friends.
When one of my units, Thin Man, did that, I had to punish him and I fired a rocket launcher in his area. The blast radius killed the soldier he failed to eliminate and it also made mincemeat of him. It’s friendly fire and he deserved it. There is no mercy or tolerance for failure in my squad.
One of the best units in the game was the cyberdisc which costs a heavy point total when building a squad, but it’s also heavily armored and uber powerful. It can also fly. Despite killing him, the Thin Man had a good mix of mobility and damage. The same could be said for the sectoid, which had the ability to Mind Merge and help an ally.
You have six slots for six units or maybe less depending on how you want to spend your points.CHOOSE WISELY: The multiplayer is 1 versus 1 and a lot of the strategy occurs in the pregame. You can’t see what your opponent is bringing into a match. All you know is the point total and the time limit per turn and you have to adjust your squad based on that. The time limit can be anything from 45 to 120 seconds. Depending on that, you can build a force that’s anywhere from one to six units. You can also have some squads saved and bring them in if you don't feel like tweaking what you have or starting from scratch.
Sure a bigger squad will give you more opportunities to attack but some of your units will be weaker because of the point total cap. If you’re into quality over quantity, that could work in your favor but if one of your units goes down, you’ll be in a world of hurt. So when does a small squad make sense? When you have a 45-second time limit.
Each attack spits out an animation of the attack. It's nice eye candy but not totally necessary.DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME: That’s when things get frantic. You’ll have to quickly plan out attacks and push out moves. To avoid waiting for a movement animation and wasting valuable time, it’s best to hit the bumper buttons and click over to the next squad mate. You do this constantly, and if you can’t move all your units in time, it’s best to hit the Y button, which instantly puts the unit in Overwatch. Of course, you can customize the control layout but that Overwatch button is gold when it’s 10 seconds left and you have three more units to control.
From what I played, the game has a Civ-like quality it. There’s always that urge to play one more turn or one more match. It was hard to pull away. So I guess I can see what the fuss was all about with the original XCOM. If you can create a fun, clever and addicting experience like that, it deserves a modern update.
XCOM: Enemy Unknown is set for release Oct. 9.
Images courtesy of 2K GamesWant to know what Gieson Cacho is playing? Follow him on Twitter. ]]>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2012/08/17/xcom-enemy-unknown-adds-multiplayer-and-its-amazingly-good/feed/2XCOM_EU_MPFaceoff_LGXCOM_EU_MP_01XCOM_EU_MP_27XCOM_MP_CyberVsMuton_02 - NEWXCOM_EU_MP_20XCOM_EU_MP_SetupXCOM_MP_SecCommVsChrysUI - NEWBy: TwitterButtons.com